Wednesday, February 6, 2013

I haven't done much with this blog lately, so I thought I'd start
back up with a response to a blog post someone posted on a Facebook account.
The blog entry is an interesting one, and I thought I'd share my views and
opinions. Here's the link:

I'd like to go point by point on this. Since it's been
conveniently numbered, instead of quoting I'll just refer to the number in the
original blog post. However, first I'd like to make it clear that this is not a
critique of the blog author in any way. He states in the entry that he is not
an expert on Santisima Muerte, but he is trying to make clear that Santisima is
not a traditional part of Hoodoo. I agree with this wholeheartedly, and I
encourage more clarification on this matter, and on the matter of who she is in
general, as I'm starting to see a trend where she's becoming more popular among
U.S. and other English-speaking countries where people are "picking up"
her service without any regards to her cultural origin and with no respect to
her traditional practices, which have been in place for quite a while now.
Sadly, this is yet another case of appropriation for the next "spiritual
fad." We've seen this with many traditional spiritual practices within the
last few decades, and with those who never quite get it, those who skim the
surface of a spiritual tradition, get all excited about a few chills, but get
bored because they've hit a roadblock, and then move on to the next thing that
catches their eyes. Rest assured, however, those of us who respect the
traditions that are in place, respect the ancestors of those traditions, and
respect the spiritual beings around whom these traditions have been built are
here and will be once the fad wanes, as it always does. We don't always say
anything, as time has shown that the popular spotlight is always moving on, but
we're here, we watch, we safeguard, and we wait.

With all that said, here are my opinions about the article in question:

1) and 2). Correct.

3). Correct in a way. There are two levels of dealing with
Santisima Muerte, from what I've been taught and what I've seen. The terms
"inner circle" and "outer circle" are probably being used
for lack of better terms. First, Sta M will accept devotion from anyone. Anyone
can approach her, like they would any Catholic folk saint, and she will listen
and determine if she wants to help that person. Second are her spiritual
workers, those who do indeed hold her tradition of working with her for a
multitude of reasons for both him/herself and for the people who come to this
person. Generally speaking, there are three main types of spiritual workers in
Mexico: Curanderos(as), Hechiceros(as), and Brujos(as). Curanderismo is the spiritual
practice of healing, traditionally done before modern medicine became more
widely available, but still practiced in conjunction with modern medicine with
an emphasis on spiritual healing. Hechiceria would be more like sorcery, with a
Native bend to it, and can be done for either good or harm. Brujeria is
generally negative work, although it can be done for good. The people within
these spiritual practices are generally the ones who have inherited the
knowledge and gifts they have from their family or from other teachers, and
these are the ones who Santisima Muerte has traditionally worked through. So,
yes, there is an "inner circle" so to speak, but it's not a cohesive
group in any way, and the lines dividing these groups are very fluid. AND there
are regional differences, depending on how the underground practices developed.
Despite this, though, there are striking similarities among the workings for
Santisima Muerte throughout all these workers' practices.

The second 3). Correct. I've heard the term "The Bride"
used for La Blanca (the white) but not "The Wife/Mother" or "The
Widow." Sounds like someone's interpretation of the three colors. It's neither
here nor there.

4). This statement needs some major clarification. First of all,
there's no traditional "initiation" with Sta M. She chooses her
workers, those who have already gone through some type of
training/apprenticeship with their family or teacher, usually in one of the
three systems mentioned above. There's no need for an initiation, because the
person she's chosen has already been through what is necessary to have her
close to the person. The training is from student to teacher. At least, this is
the way it was until recently, that is within the last decade. I see where
today some people are offering initiations of one type or another. Whether Sta
M is behind this and/or accepting it remains to be seen, only time will tell.
It is true that when great changes occur, the traditional ways of doing things
may (or may not) have to be altered to accommodate those changes. However, this
shouldn't be seen as an excuse to just do whatever one wishes to do. Any change
in a traditional system must be done in a manner of back and forth
communication between the spiritual being(s) and the elders/workers. Secondly,
in response to #4 of the blog, there's no need for any type of family member
sacrifice. As many responded to the original FB posting, Sta M gets everyone in
the end anyway. That's not a real sacrifice.

5). Absolutely correct! Not all, but a good number of eclectic
Wiccans, Neo-Pagans, and New Agers are among those most guilty of cultural
appropriation, superficially swiping elements, techniques, spirits, and deities
and plunking them down into their own systems using pre-conceived notions about
how there is a universal spiritual system that they go by. They usually have
only read books, gotten almost no real instruction from experienced people, and
built themselves a comfortable system, with a revisionist history, that only
brushes the surface of what most traditional systems delve into. Without really
going into this area too much, as that would require a blog, or series of
blogs, I'm just going to say that the most important aspect, as pertains to
this subject, is respect. Respect the tradition; respect the elders/teachers;
respect the ancestors; respect the spiritual beings. In my experience doing
this will get your further along in one year than a decade of do-it-yourself
eclecticism.

6). Correct, mostly. According to the documented evidence that's
been uncovered so far, ever since she manifested in Mexico, Santisima Muerte
has been treated like a Catholic folk saint. Catholic culture and society,
Catholic prayers, Catholic rites. Granted that some of what has been found
borders on pagan-like rituals, but then a lot of Catholic folk practices do, as
well. These are remnants of two merging cultures, however, the dominant
religion is Catholicism. I'm well aware that an overwhelming majority of
Mexicans who serve Sta M will say, if asked, that Sta M is either the
reincarnation or in some way linked to the pre-Christian Aztec goddess.
However, as noted in the blog, the evidence is lacking. Sure the superficial
elements are there. Female divine being ruling over death and the underworld.
Ok, great. But what else? The offerings and rites associated with Santisima
Muerte are commonly found among other Mexican Catholic folk saints. There's a
few elements in her service, which I won't list here, that may be remnants of
pre-Christian practices, but not that many. In addition, there are two European
figures who share striking resemblance to Sta M's current form. La Parca, from
Spain, is a female grim reaper who is a skeleton, with cloak and scythe, and
there is an Italian "Santa Muerte" who is (possibly!?) a version of
the Virgin Mary. Who were the two European powers that conquered (what is now) Mexico? Was it
Spain, with the backing of Rome, which is in Italy? So, yeah, linking Santisima
Muerte with an Aztec goddess of similar nature may be good for Mexican
nationalism, but does that mean Santisima Muerte is automatically the
reincarnation of that goddess? I won't say no, and I won't say yes. It think
it's much more complex than that, however the bottom line for me is that
Santisima Muerte is NOT a goddess. She's made that perfectly clear to me
herself, and I have no reason to try to make her into one.

7). This one I don't agree with. The oldest documented workings we
have of Sta M work is love work, specifically work to bring back wandering
lovers, usually men. The tri-colored system in her traditional practice is
designed to incorporate any type of working that is necessary, worldly or
other-worldly. Yes, Santisima Muerte is petitioned for a good death, but she
can also do so much more.

8). Eh. True in a way. Santisima Muerte goes by her own ethical
system. She helps those she helps for whatever reason and doesn't discriminate.
Without getting into a long discussion about ethics, I'll just leave it at
that...for now.

9). Correct.

10). I personally don't know much about San La Muerte, but I was
told by my teacher not to mix him with Santisima Muerte.

11). As mentioned above, there is an Italian Santa Muerte, who may
by a version of Mary, but yes, Santisima Muerte is considered not only the
Angel of Death, but also the highest of God's Archangels.

So, as you can see this is not a bad article, written by someone
who admits to not being an expert. Of course, the word "expert" is a
loaded term, but I think what is meant here is someone who has received
traditional teachings for Sta M. Like I said earlier, I support these types of
writings in order to let other people who, through no fault of their own...most
of the time, know that there is already a traditional system for Sta M in
place. There are devotees, and there are workers. AND there are regional differences
amongst all of these. Devotees are going to serve from their hearts and may
pick up information from family and friends. Some of it will be traditional,
some will not. If Sta M wants a devotee to learn more traditional practices she
will lead that person to a teacher, as she did in my case. Of course, I am open
minded enough to realize that with the recent explosion of popularity, there
may be changes on the horizon, but for me personally these will have to come
directly from Santisima Muerte in a way that I have no doubt she wants me to do
them. In the meantime, I'm going to continue to serve and work with her in the
way that she has brought to me.

About Me

La Santisima Muerte - I work with the three-robed system as taught to me by Nick Arnoldi, who received it in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2001. Founder of The New Orleans Chapel of the Santisima Muerte.
Haitian Vodou - Houngan Asogwe, my mother is Bon Mambo Marie Carmel Charles, from Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Palo Mayombe - I am Padre Nganga from Munanso Zarabanda Rompe Monte ba Quenda Ensila in Miami, FL.
Quimbanda - I have received licensa through Tata Apokan of Cabula Mavambl Ngobodi Nzila in NY.
Lukumi - Elekes, Warriors, and Hand of Orula in Miami, FL.
Ancestor Veneration - I venerate my U.S. Southern and European ancestors, both Christian (Protestant and Catholic) and Pagan (Norse and Celtic).
I received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy with an emphasis in World Religious Studies from Mississippi State University in May 2000.
I first moved to New Orleans in 2001, and after Hurricane Katrina I moved to the Northshore area of Boston, MA, then I returned to New Orleans in 2010.